Aizawl, July 19, 2006: As the deadline for the return of the Hmar refugees, fixed by the Manipur government, expires today, Mizoram government said the refugee camp erected to house the Hmars at Sakawrdai village, would not be dismantled.
Mizoram Chief Secretary Haukhum Hauzel told here today that he informed representatives of the refugees yesterday that the camp would remain and the state government would continue relief works for the refugees until they return to Manipur.
“We want their early return and the Manipur government has also assured that all the Meitei militants responsible for the exodus to Mizoram have been flushed out from the Hmar inhabited areas,” he said.
He, however, added that those afraid to return, due to ‘absence of guarantee of their safety’ could remain until they felt that it is safe for them to return.
Representatives of Hmar community, including leaders of NEICORD, a charity organisation providing relief material to the refugees, leaders of ‘Hmar Inpui’ or Manipur-based Hmar apex body and social workers met Hauzel in his office here yesterday.
Earlier, L Thualuai, Chairman of the Hmar refugees advisory board said that only 117 refugees belonging to 42 families have returned to Manipur while 629 Hmars belonging to 104 families refused to go back. He said they had sent a memorandum to the Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil to extend their stay in Mizoram.
Hundreds of Hmar refugees fled Manipur’s Parbung and Lungthulien villages after the United National Liberation Front (UNLF) militants attacked the villages in the early part of this year.
Source: ZEENews.com
See also:
- Environmental Clearance of Tipaimukh Dam by MoEF (October 31st, 2008)
- Chakka bandh on Sep 18 against Tipaimukh dam (September 17th, 2008)
- 1 lakh Manipur villagers hit by bamboo flowering (September 2nd, 2008)
- Heavy security to be deployed on 99 km stretch of road to Tipaimukh dam (July 29th, 2008)
- Army launches Tipaimukh vigil (April 30th, 2008)